Pink Floyd's Nick Mason says he joined his new band Saucerful of Secrets because he missed playing the drums

Posted Thursday morning

Chris Peyton for VVVoid

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason debuted a brand-new band, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, at a four-date series of London club shows in May, and the group's now set to launch a full-scale European tour in September. The band focuses on playing early Pink Floyd material predating 1973's The Dark Side of the Moon album.

Mason tells ABC Radio that a motivating factor in him doing the project was that he "rather missed…actually playing the drums."

The 74-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer says the band was the brainchild of former Blockheads guitarist Lee Harris, who then contacted longtime Pink Floyd touring bassist Guy Pratt. Pratt's involvement helped convince Mason to come on board, who brought in his friend Gary Kemp, Spandau Ballet's guitarist. Keyboardist Dom Beken rounded out the lineup.

Regarding Saucerful of Secrets' focus on Pink Floyd's early material, Mason says the idea "seemed to be a sort of fresh field for us," adding, "Because there are so many tribute bands out there, plus [ex-band mates] Roger [Waters] and David [Gilmour], playing the later stuff…it was a really nice idea to find our own niche."

Mason tells ABC Radio he was thrilled by the reception the new band got at the London concerts.

"[W]e got fantastic reviews," he notes. "I was hoping people would like it, but I think we were all absolutely bowled over with how much they liked it."

The European trek kicks off September 2 in Stockholm, Sweden, and runs through a September 29 in Nottingham, U.K. Following the tour, Mason says the group "might do a live recording…perhaps sometime next year, and perhaps bring it to America as well."